In January, It Ends with Us director and lead star Justin Baldoni filed a USD 400 million countersuit against his co-star Blake Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds following a lawsuit filed against Baldoni alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign.
Now, according to E! News, Lively filed a motion in a New York federal court to dismiss his defamation suit, citing that the law protects individuals who have filed sexual harassment lawsuits. Calling Baldoni's countersuit "vengeful", the motion states, "The law prohibits weaponizing defamation lawsuits, like this one, to retaliate against individuals who have filed legal claims or have publicly spoken out about sexual harassment and retaliation. The right to seek legal redress and the right of the press to report on it are sacred principles that are protected by multiple privileges, including the litigation and fair report privileges, which are absolute."
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Lively's representatives accused Baldoni's team of using the countersuit as a "blunt public relations instrument designed to further the Wayfarer Parties' sinister campaign to 'bury' and 'destroy' Ms Lively for speaking out about sexual harassment and retaliation."
Responding to Lively's attempt to dismiss, Baldoni's legal team stated, "We will continue to hold Ms. Lively accountable for her actions of pure malice which include falsely accusing my clients of harassment and retaliation. Her fantastical claims will be swiftly debunked as discovery moves forward, easily disproved with actual, evidentiary proof."
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In addition to suing Lively, Baldoni had initially sued The New York Times for USD 250 million for “libel and false light invasion of privacy” after they released a bombshell article titled “‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Campaign”, which allegedly details how Baldoni has attempted to tarnish Lively's reputation during the film promotion in August 2024.
